Re Vasiliev: Two performances over an eight week season? And he is not injured? He's performed in Bayadere and Copelia in prior years with ABT, so he knows the roles and is suited for them. Seems very strange.

Since when does rarely performing with the company mean you're taken off the principals roster, though?

Well, ABT does seem like a company willing to keep a principal on the roster long after he or she has stopped performing frequently. In my first couple years of ABT performances, I remember seeing Guillaume Graffin listed as a principal, but he never seemed to appear onstage in principal roles.

It does seem unprecedented, though, for one of ABT's guest star-like prinicipals to appear frequently on the road and barely at all in the Met season. It's usually the reverse scenario. But, maybe he'll become a principal dancer like a Bolle, who shows up for only a handful of performances throughout the year.

If Vasiliev doesn't have commitments to dance elsewhere this summer, though, I think his lack of appearances in the Met season may indicate an impending departure. He and Osipova jump around between companies so often that it wouldn't come as any surprise.

I wouldn't be surprised if Vasiliev showed up as Spartacus for the Bolshoi tour. We'll see.

Somehow I would be given the Company's politics ... but he did dance Spartacus last month in Moscow ... so who knows? He is dancing of course in the O/V show in CA, Moscow and London ... in at least two new pieces being created on them ... so I assume they would have to rehearse to engender them ... ???

I think we can be pretty sure that a New York Spartacus is off the table. Vasiliev can't be in Costa Mesa with Natalia Osipova on July 25-27 and in New York with the Bolshoi on the same dates. Admittedly, the state of the Segerstrom engagement has seemed a little iffy at times, but once tickets go on sale on June 8, Vasiliev would be locked in.

I understand all of the love for Stella Abrera now. She was Mercedes/Queen of the Dryads at today's matinee, and she was fantastic. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

Add me to the Stella fan club.

Welcome to the Stella fan club, Kaysta! We are all hoping for a promotion to principal and major leading roles, especially the title role in Giselle. She is terrific as Myrtha, but enough is enough! And it is painful to see other lesser dancers cut into the line ahead of her. I'm so glad you loved her! It made my day.

I understand all of the love for Stella Abrera now. She was Mercedes/Queen of the Dryads at today's matinee, and she was fantastic. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

Add me to the Stella fan club.

Welcome to the Stella fan club, Kaysta! We are all hoping for a promotion to principal and major leading roles, especially the title role in Giselle. She is terrific as Myrtha, but enough is enough! And it is painful to see other lesser dancers cut into the line ahead of her. I'm so glad you loved her! It made my day.

SAME! Kaysta so glad you're a part of the fan club now

Like angelica, I will never lose hope for all the good fortune for Stella...I will move mountains to be there the day she FINALLY gets her Giselle!

Casting changes announced on Twitter: Tomorrow matinee T&V will be Lane and Simkin, rather than Cornejo (this one is also now listed on the casting page). And Gillian Murphy tweeted that she won't be doing the evening T&V -- the one with Andrew Veyette. No word on who's replacing her in that. With Murphy still injured, and now Cornejo out for some unspecified reason, it's just more bad news for ABT!

So two T&V's in a row for Simkin. Hope he eats his Wheaties. I can't imagine who could replace Murphy at such short notice. Maybe Semionova will get another one too? Or, they could just import another NYCB dancer!

Casting changes announced on Twitter: Tomorrow matinee T&V will be Lane and Simkin, rather than Cornejo (this one is also now listed on the casting page). And Gillian Murphy tweeted that she won't be doing the evening T&V -- the one with Andrew Veyette. No word on who's replacing her in that. With Murphy still injured, and now Cornejo out for some unspecified reason, it's just more bad news for ABT!

Oh no. I was looking forward to that. It would be funny (not that I think it will happen) if they got a NYCB woman, I've seen Veyette with Bouder. Of course if they got Bouder, the ABT orchestra would have to play faster!